


Wendigo

by Sam4265



Series: Inverse Operations [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Older Sibling Sam Winchester, Younger Sibling Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 03:46:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10733472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sam4265/pseuds/Sam4265
Summary: Wendigo rewritten, in which Dean is eighteen, and Sam is twenty-two.





	Wendigo

The nightmare began differently this time. Instead of Jess on the ceiling, Sam was at her grave. He’d brought her flowers. Not roses. Never roses. Jess thought roses were stupid. Sam moved to lay the flowers down on her grave when a hand shot out of the dirt and gripped his wrist. Sam woke up with a start. He blinked a few times before sitting up straight in the passenger seat in the Impala. Dean was staring at him.

“You ok?” He asked. Sam stopped to look at him, and to give him the most honest look he could manage.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Sam replied, his acting just a little too good. Dean saw right through his bullshit, but he didn’t call Sam out on it.

“Another nightmare?” He asked instead. Sam cleared his throat and looked away. He was fine. He had to make Dean believe that, he had to get Dean to stop worrying about him.

“Wanna drive for a while?” Dean asked; his eyes glued to his older brother. Sam just laughed incredulously. He glanced at Dean, the fake smile still plastered on his face. He could see the worry in Dean’s eyes, two deep green pools of concern. 

“No Dean, I’m fine. I don’t need to drive.” Sam said, and he meant it, the last part anyway. He’d just started to realize how attached to the car his little brother actually was. Dean was always abnormally relaxed when he was in the front seat. He looked so calm, so at peace, and Sam didn’t want to take that away from him. Besides, driving didn’t relax him like it did Dean. It only reminded him that he was responsible for his little brother, not wrecking the Impala, and making sure no one pulls them over and looks in the trunk. Yeah, he wasn’t big on driving. 

“Just thought you might want to, never mind.” Dean muttered back.

“Look man, you’re worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I’m perfectly ok.” Sam replied, though he knew Dean saw right through the lie. He wasn’t fine, and he didn’t know how long it was going to be until he was. But Sam knew he had got to pull it together, for Dean if no one else. Dean still looked half-starved, even though throughout the past week Sam had been trying to get him to eat more. Sam was pretty sure he should be worried about how thin Dean was, but given Dean’s enthusiasm when it came to food Sam didn’t think it was going to be a problem for much longer. The insomnia on the other hand was an issue. Sam wasn’t sure when his brother started to deny any idea of sleep, but he had, and it was taking its toll. He was sure however that the right amount of brotherly love at the right time would fix that. Brotherly love meaning saying Get your ass into bed Dean or so help me God! in the John Winchester tone. 

“Mm-hmm.” Dean replied, the sarcasm in his voice thinly veiled. Sam ignored it and grabbed the map instead of replying. 

“Where are we?” 

“We are just outside of Grand Junction.” 

Sam studied the map, intensely scrutinizing every detail that he’d already looked over a hundred times. His mind, however, wandered away from the task at hand and back to his apartment in Palo Alto. To Jessica. To the fire.

“You know what? Maybe we shouldn’t have left Stanford so soon.” Dean kept his eyes on the road.

“Sam, we dug around there for a week and came up with nothing.” They’d been through the same song and dance at least four times since leaving Palo Alto. Dean knew exactly where to start the conversation to keep Sam away from California. “If you wanna find the thing that killed Jessica…” He trailed off, and Sam knew right where to pick up.

“We’ve got to find Dad first.” 

“Dad disappearing and this thing showing up again after 18 years? It’s no coincidence. Dad’ll have answers. He’ll know what to do.” Dean finished. Sam realized that to Dean their Dad was the first to go to when shit hit the fan. His dependence on their father made Sam’s insides turn, but he knew that all teenagers depended on their fathers; it was rational, at least on some level. However Sam wasn’t sure the level of Dean’s dependence could be considered rational. Obviously their Dad couldn’t fix everything, but Sam wasn’t sure Dean knew that. They did both know that John Winchester had his faults, one of them being purposely ignoring Dean for three weeks, and now the both of them for a week. Another being raising his sons to be soldiers. Another being letting Dean drop out. Sam stopped himself. That particular train of thought would last longer than the rest of the drive to Black Water would. He instead focused on the map in his hands, and on the x that marked the coordinates.

“It’s weird man. These coordinates he left us, this Black Water Ridge…”

“What about it?”

“There’s nothin’ there. It’s just… woods.” Sam put the map down, screwing up his face in concentration. The coordinates didn’t make any sense to him yet, and he needed them to. “Why’s he sending us to the middle of nowhere?”

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance. Neither of them had any real idea why, but Sam wanted to know. He was angry. Angrier than he should have been, he knew, but he was angry at John for leaving Dean. And more than that he was angry at himself for leaving Jessica unprotected, and he was angry at the demon for killing his mother and his girlfriend, and he was angry at himself for ignoring Dean. He was just generally very angry. Plus they still hadn’t cleared up everything they’d talked about a week ago, and Sam knew that if Dean had anything to say about it, they wouldn’t be. 

And Sam? Sam was just too damn angry to care. 

SPN

When they got to the Lost Creek national forest Sam examined the model of the forest and ridge. He started to explain the location to Dean, noticing how remote the ridge actually was. The Winchester’s weren’t known for their love of camping, and Sam had a hard time imagining exactly why anyone would ever want to go camping. It was just days of no toilet, no signal, and constant danger. Some people were just a special kind of stupid.

“Dude check out the size of this friggin’ bear.” Dean said. Sam rolled his eyes and turned around to find his little brother completely absorbed in a photo of a hunter standing behind a grizzly bear easily three times his size and then some. As he looked at his brother he took in Dean’s appearance. The leather jacket fit him well, but the fact that it was oversized and meant for their father only added to his starved appearance. First thing we do when we get out of here is raid a roadside diner. Sam decided as he walked over to Dean.

“…And a dozen or so giant grizzlies in the area. It’s no nature hike that’s for sure.” 

“You boys aren’t planning to go out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?” The brothers turned around to see an older ranger with a mug of coffee and a pin on his left side that named him Ranger Wilkinson. Sam spun a bull story about them being students, but the ranger easily saw through their lie. He asked them if they were friends of a girl named Hailey. It took Dean half a second to catch onto the lie and continue it. Sam wanted to roll his eyes at his brother, but instead he just waited for him to get the backcountry permit Hailey’s brother had filled out from the ranger. 

Dean grinned to himself the whole way back to the car.

“What are you cruising for a hookup or something?” Sam asked once they’d reached the Impala. Dean had been just out of puberty when Sam left, and Sam clearly remembered his little brothers already over reactive libido. It had been embarrassing in the worst of times, and something to roll his eyes at in the best of times. But right then Sam was just annoyed that it was going to cost them precious time that could be spent finding their father.

“What do you mean?” Dean asked. Sam rolled his eyes and explained his reasoning. He thought they should just go and find Dad. Dean thought they should know what they were walking into out in the woods. Dean even gave him a ‘are you out of your mind?’ look. That just served to agitate Sam.

“What?”

“Well since when are you all shoot first, ask questions later anyway?” Dean asked.

“Since now.” With that Sam got in the passenger side and shut the door. Dean followed a moment later frowning.

“So, are we actually going to this Hailey girl’s house?” Sam asked when Dean got in the car. Dean shot him a look and started the Impala.

“Yes Sam, we are.” 

SPN

Dean watched Sam the whole way to Hailey’s house. It was getting on Sam’s nerves. He didn’t understand why Dean couldn’t just accept the fact that they needed to find Dad ASAP. He thought Dean of all people would understand exactly why it was important they hurry in finding their father, he might just end up bailing on them again, and Sam wasn’t letting that happen. Not when he so desperately needed answers.

When they finally did get to Hailey’s they told her they were rangers who were heading to Black Water the next day. She told them she’d see them there; that she wasn’t going to just sit around any longer. Dean had gotten a strange look in his eye and said,

“I think I know how you feel.” Sam looked up at that. He could see it in his brother’s eyes; respect. Dean knew because it was what he’d done. He had gone out alone in search for their father. Only when he’d tried everything else and still couldn’t find John Winchester did he finally head to Sam. Sam realized now that he’d been expecting big brother to fix things, like he always used to. This however, this was something Sam couldn’t fix. 

When they got back in the car Dean had a weird look on his face. 

“You ok?” Sam asked. Dean glanced at him before starting the car.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. It’s just…” He trailed off. Sam looked at him expectantly.

“Just what Dean?” 

“Nothing, it’s nothing.” Then he started the car and they drove to the nearest motel. It was called Black Water Motel, and the room themes were river and forest. It looked horrendous. 

When they got into their room Dean headed straight for the bathroom, and Sam for his laptop, but his mind wasn’t on research. It was on Dean, as usual. Dean’s face when he’d told Hailey he knew how she felt most specifically. He respected her mindset, that much Sam knew. But later when he’d gotten into the car he’d looked more run down than usual, and given the fact that he usually looked run down Sam wasn’t content with just blowing it off. 

When Dean came out of the bathroom Sam decided that was the moment of attack.

“Hey Dean, you ok?” He asked as Dean stripped of his jacket and boots. Leaving him in nothing but a t-shirt and faded jeans. He didn’t even look at Sam as he flopped down on the bed, exhaustion radiating from every pore in his body.

“Yeah Sam, I’m fine.” No new answer, Sam decided it was time for a different approach. 

“What was it like?”

“What was what like?” His voice was wary. He knew what was coming.

“Those weeks looking for Dad.”

“They were fine Sam.”

“Really Dean? Because you showed up at my apartment looking like bulldozed crap.”

“You flatter me Sam, really you do.” Dean said into the pillow. Sam rolled his eyes.

“Dean, seriously. Tell me about it.” Dean sighed and sat up, but he didn’t look at Sam. Sam figured one out of two wasn’t bad.

“It was tiring Sam, and lonely. What else do you want me to say?” Sam’s face adopted a concerned expression, and he moved to sit across from Dean.

“Dean, talk to me man. What was it like? You haven’t been sleeping right, that much I know, and you eat every meal like it’s your last. Dean, what’s been going on? And is it more than these past few weeks?” Dean looked very much like he wanted to sink right into the mattress and never come back up, but Sam wasn’t going to allow it. He needed to know what was going on with Dean. He really did. He’d neglected his brother for 3 years, and from what he’d heard their Dad hadn’t exactly been father of the year during those years either.

“It was lonely Sam.” Sam waited for him to continue, and continue he did. And he didn’t stop. 

“Especially after you left. Dad, he- he wasn’t himself. He drank a lot after you left. And about a week after you did he took off too. Middle of the night. Left me a note telling me to finish the last few days of school there, then he’d written some coordinates. He kept sending them to me that whole summer. I don’t think I saw him more than twice those three months. He eventually showed back up in September though. Signed me up for a school in Oregon. It had this big witch cult thing going on that was going to take a while, so we stayed there for a bit. Eventually he left though. Told me to stay until he got back. I ended up staying there for at least two more months. And that’s how it went really. He’d stick me some place, leave, then come back right before we’d leave again. Over the breaks he assigned me cases. He’d pull me out of school sometimes too if he really needed me on hunts. Summers were the worst though. I was lucky if I got to see him more than twice over the summers. I spent a month with Bobby summer before junior year. Dad wasn’t happy about it, and Bobby wasn’t happy about the way he’d apparently been treating me. I didn’t care much, but Bobby threatened Dad with a shotgun so Dad grabbed me and we shagged ass out of South Dakota. Haven’t been to Bobby’s since. He called though. Sent me stuff for my birthday and Christmas when he could.” Dean stopped talking almost awkwardly. There was obviously more, but Dean was too uncomfortable to continue. Sam however was ready to start throwing punches. He couldn’t believe John. Dean was a kid. He’d been a kid when Sam had left; and he still was one now. The worst though wasn’t knowing that John rarely contacted Dean at all, no, the worst was knowing that only a week after Sam had left John had too. They’d both left Dean within a week of each other, and the fifteen year old had been left to fend for himself. Fifteen. Dean had been only fifteen goddamn years old. How could John have left Dean when he was still a kid? Dean couldn’t even drive yet. He couldn’t have even legally gotten a learners permit, much less a license. Sam clenched his fists. He noticed Dean tense up. He couldn’t imagine what he was waiting for, and Sam decided he didn’t particularly want to know either. Instead he moved to the other bed and pulled his little brother into a hug.

“I’m so sorry Dean. I’m so, so sorry.” Dean didn’t move for a moment. He was tense and seemed unwilling to loosen up. When Sam started to rub his back Dean finally let go, and Sam felt the first few tears finally fall. Dean was crying silently, but at least he was crying. How long they stayed like that Sam had no idea. Dean’s hands were fisted in Sam’s T-shirt relentlessly. He didn’t want to let go, and he wasn’t going to. Sam’s response was to hold his baby brother tighter; he was content with just sitting on the mattress holding Dean while Dean cried. Sam put names to faces and labeled what had happened, and his mind ran in circles, repeating it over and over again; making sure he never forgot.

Dean was abandoned.

Sam knew, as he held his baby brother, that this was exactly what had happened. Sam had left, then John had left and Dean had been 15. Unable to do anything about it because he didn’t want to be taken away from his family. Unable to rely on anyone because everyone he thought he could rely on was gone. He’d only been a kid. Sam was so guilty he didn’t think he could stand if he tried. He’d abandoned his 15 year old brother. Sure he hadn’t had any idea John would leave too, but he’d still left. Sam closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Dean’s silent tears had started to lessen, but he hadn’t moved from Sam’s arms and Sam wasn’t about to make him. He didn’t know what to think anymore. How was he supposed to make up three years of abandonment to Dean? Three years of nobody being there for him. Three years of having to make his own breakfast lunch and dinner. 

All of a sudden questions rained down on him. Was Dad there for your birthdays? How many? Was he there for Christmas? Any holiday’s at all? How did you know he was missing if he never contacted you? How did you get money? Did he wire it to you? Give it to you in person? Did you have to make money? Is that why you’re so thin? Is that why you eat everything in sight? Sam refrained from asking. It was too much at once, he knew. Dean was already pretty bad off, and Sam didn’t want to make it any worse. The last few questions bothered him more than the others did though. Abandoning Dean was bad enough, but leaving him without money for food and water and clothes? That was just horrific. Sam was pretty sure John had won worst father of the year award the last three years even if that wasn’t the case. He probably had trophies and everything. 

As Sam held Dean tighter still he noticed the change in his little brother’s breathing. It was shallower, deeper, and a thousand times more peaceful. Dean had fallen asleep. Sam smiled slightly, and glanced over at his laptop. He really needed to do research, but he didn’t want to move Dean. Not just yet. He glanced at the clock 8:56. The research could wait another hour. 

SPN

The next morning when Sam woke up in his own bed the first thing he did was look over at Dean. He was still fast asleep.

The next thing he did was look at the clock. 5:29. It would go off in a minute. Sam turned the alarm off. Dean could sleep while Sam took a shower and got dressed. He needed it. 

Sam showered quickly, and dressed in half the time. It was 5:50 by the time he was done. He scribbled a quick note to Dean, grabbed the keys and headed out to get breakfast. They didn’t have to be at Black Water until 7:30 and Sam would be dammed if Dean missed another breakfast. He ordered eggs for himself and a stack of 4 pancakes, bacon, eggs, and toast for Dean. He grabbed two coffees as well and headed back to the motel room. When he got back Dean was in the shower.

“I come bearing gifts!” He called through the door. The water shut off and the reply came moments after.

“Great, I’ll be right out.” Five minutes later Dean was out in nothing but a towel. He grabbed the pile of clothes he’d left by the bed and started to get dressed while Sam set up breakfast. When Dean finally sat at the table heaping plates of reasonably warm breakfast was shoved at him, as was a large cup of piping hot black coffee. Dean looked up at Sam suspiciously. Sam just shrugged innocently.

“What?”

“This is a lot of breakfast Sam.”

“Yeah, so?” 

“It’s not like I’m going to go hungry.” Not anymore. Sam wanted so desperately to say, but it wouldn’t be fair to pray on the insecurities Dean had shared last night like that. Instead he shrugged and ordered Dean to eat his food. Dean didn’t need to be told twice. He started shoveling food down his throat. Sam wouldn’t be shocked to find out that only half of it was actually chewed before it was swallowed. Sam didn’t call him out on his eating habits though. He couldn’t. Not now. Not with what he knew.

“So, when’re we gonna head out to the Ridge?” Dean asked around a mouthful of pancake. Sam glanced at the clock. 6:25. They had a good half hour to go before they needed to leave. Sam figured they could spend that time going over the research he’d dug up the night before.

“In about half an hour. Want to see what I found?” He asked. Dean nodded and polished off the last of his bacon. 

“Let’s see what the great professor Winchester has to offer.” Dean replied with a smile. A genuine one. Sam thought it looked good on him and he smiled back. 

“Ok, so Blackwater Ridge isn’t exactly popular. Local people mostly. Two guys went missing this past April, and a few years before that there was an attack. Eight people dead. I checked, and every 23 years there’s another supposed bear attack. It’s been going on for a while. Dozens of people go missing or are found dead. Authorities claim grizzlies are to blame. It’s logical I guess, I mean you saw the picture, but the dates are too perfect. So I looked into all the attacks, and there was one particular incident that caught my eye.” He handed Dean a file.

“An attack in 1959. Several people missing, one survivor. A young boy called Shaw. He barely escaped alive. I called him last night. He told me the thing moved too fast to be a bear. Not only that, but he said it didn’t just break into their cabin, it unlocked the door.” Dean quirked an eyebrow. 

“Unlocked?” Sam nodded.

“Yeah. It unlocked the door and dragged Shaw’s parents out into the woods. He says he’s got no idea why the thing let him go, but that it left him some very memorable claw marks across his left shoulder. They reach from his chest almost to his shoulder blade.” Dean’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. 

“Yikes.” Sam nodded, then grabbed his laptop.

“I also went over the footage Hailey Collins sent us. The video her brother sent her on day six of his trip. Watch this.” Sam pulled up the video Tommy Collins had sent his sister. Sam stopped it after a couple of seconds and played three frames frame by frame. It showed a thing moving in the background. The thing was in a completely different spot each frame. Dean leaned closer.

“Play it again.” 

Sam did.

“Damn. That thing moves fast.” Dean mused.

“Not just fast. That’s three frames Dean. That’s a fraction of a second.” Dean stared at the second frame. It was in the vague shape of something, but Sam couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly it was. He knew from the look on Dean’s face that he was trying to figure it out too.

“All right, well I say we grab our gear and head down to the park.” Dean said.

“Good idea. You go ahead to the car; I’m going to put this stuff away.” Dean nodded and headed out the door without looking at him. Sam realized Dean and eye contact didn’t seem to be getting along that morning. Definitely due to his late night confession. Sam sighed and started to pack his laptop and research away. He would make the last three years up to Dean. He would. He had to.

SPN

When they arrived at the national park Hailey, Ben, and their ‘guide’ Roy were already there. Sam immediately didn’t like Roy, and he knew Dean didn’t either. He thought he knew more than he did. He acted like he was smarter and better than everyone else. Sam really didn’t like him, and figured if any idiot was going to meet an accidental end that day; it was going to be Roy. 

They hadn’t been walking for very long when Dean started to piss Roy off. He was aggravating the older hunter, taunting him. Roy probably didn’t understand the depth of Dean’s words, but he understood the connotation was overall negative. After a while Dean hit a weak spot like Sam knew he would.

“Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?” Dean asked with a smirk on his face. Roy grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back roughly. Sam tensed immediately. If this idiot thinks laying a hand on my little brother is even remotely a good idea, he’s got another thing coming. 

“What you doing Roy?” Dean asked; a challenge in his voice. Sam silently wished his brother would just shut his mouth for once. Roy let go of Dean with a small shove. He picked a stick up off the ground and stuck it in the ground. There was a loud snap, and Dean looked down. 

“You should watch where you’re stepping… ranger.” Roy sneered. Dean nodded, annoyance obvious though he kept the smirk on his face. Sam stayed tense. He didn’t like Roy already, and grabbing Dean had put him in a new level of low on Sam’s list. 

“It’s a bear trap.” Dean laughed lightly. Sam rolled his eyes, but decided looking at the ground a bit more was a good idea. He needed to make sure Dean did too. A broken bleeding ankle was just the icing on the crap cake they were currently making by walking into this forest.

They continued to walk, but Hailey stopped Dean.

“You didn’t pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffle bag. You’re not rangers, so who the hell are you?” She grabbed Dean’s arm and pulled until he was facing her. What is with the grabbing Dean today? Sam wondered slightly annoyed. If Dean had hand shaped bruises by the end of the stupid trip Sam was going to flip his lid. He’d decided.

Dean locked eyes with Sam, and Sam gave him a questioning look. Dean nodded to him. Telling him that he’d be fine, to go on ahead. So Sam continued to walk. He knew Dean would be fine. He was probably going to tell Hailey the real reason they were out there, trying to find John, and it wouldn’t be so bad if she knew. If anything it would just make Hailey respect Dean even more. 

When Dean finally caught back up Sam turned to Roy and asked,

“What coordinates are we at?” 

“35, and minus 111.” Sam immediately fumed; John wasn’t there. Dean walked up to him and looked around.

“You hear that?” He asked. Sam listened and heard nothing.

“Yeah. Not even crickets.” He replied stoically. It was then that Roy decided to grace everyone with his stupidity.

“I’m going to go take a look around.” Sam turned to look at him.

“You shouldn’t go off by yourself.” Roy chuckled ill-humoredly.

“That’s sweet. Don’t worry about me.” Yeah, Sam really hated his guts. Dean glared after him, and Sam followed his brother’s example. The idiot was most definitely going to get himself killed.

“All right, everybody stay together. Come on.” Dean followed Roy, and everyone else followed Dean. They walked for a little while before Roy called suddenly from somewhere in the trees.

“Hailey! Over here!” Hailey and Ben took off first, Sam and Dean followed close behind. When they got there Hailey gasped. The campsite was torn to shreds. There were blood and claw marks everywhere. The tent was in total disrepair. There was absolutely nothing salvageable. Blood, bits of food, sleeping bag fluff, everything was scattered all over the site. It looked like a tornado had hit. 

“Looks like a grizzly.” Roy mused. Sam however knew that it was no grizzly attack. There was no way. Sam noticed Dean was looking more around the edges of the camp, and realized what he was looking for; drag marks. Sam moved to help him, but stopped when Hailey started to shout.

“Tommy? Tommy? Tommy!” She screamed into the woods. 

“Shh!” Sam came up behind her. 

“Why?”

“Something might still be out there.” He replied all the while scanning the forest. Sam heard Dean call his name and headed over to where his brother was behind a tree kneeling in the dirt. Dean looked up when he arrived.

“The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. It’s weird.” Sam noted Dean’s tracking skill with some pride as he realized his brother was right. There were drag marks leading away from the sight, but they just stopped in a random spot. No reason, they just stopped. 

“I’ll tell you what,” Dean continued, “That’s no skin walker or black dog.” Sam knew immediately that Dean was right. 

When they walked back to the campsite Sam saw Dean kneel down to comfort Hailey. Sam was about to head over to help when suddenly a man started screaming.

“HELP! Somebody help me! Please! Help me!” Roy took off first, and Dean followed immediately after. Sam walked forward almost warily. He didn’t like it. It was too convenient. 

They stood in the middle of a clearing, guns raised, looking around in the woods.

“It seemed like it was coming from here, didn’t it?” Roy asked. Sam immediately tensed. He suddenly had an idea of what they were hunting, and he didn’t like it. 

“Everybody back to camp.” He said, his voice urgent. Sam ran back first. He knew exactly what they would find, but he needed confirmation. He got it when he saw that their things were gone. While the others were complaining about their packs being gone Sam walked up to Dean.

“I need to speak with you… In private.” The brothers were a little ways from the camp when Sam stopped Dean.

“Ok let me see Dad’s journal.” Dean handed him the book. Sam flipped through the pages until he found the one he needed. The one about Wendigo’s. 

“All right, check that out.” Sam handed Dean the journal. Dean gave him a disbelieving look.

“Oh come on. Wendigo’s are in Minnesota, or northern Michigan. I’ve never even heard of one this far west.” 

“Think about it Dean. The claws, the way it can mimic a human voice.” Sam replied. He knew he was right. He’d known it since the second he saw the packs were gone.

“Great.” Dean muttered, acceptance lighting his gaze. He held up his gun.

“Well then this is useless.” Sam shoved the book back into Dean’s chest and turned back toward the camp. He was twice as pissed as when they’d gotten there. A Wendigo. A freaking Wendigo. Their Dad had some issues in the matter of safety. Sam turned and spoke to Dean’s back.

“We’ve got to get these people to safety.” Sam then walked back to the camp.

“All right, listen up, it’s time to go. Things have gotten more complicated.” He was vaguely aware of the rustle announcing Dean’s presence back in camp. 

“What?” Hailey snapped. Her stony stubborn eyes told Sam that getting the idiots to safety would be harder than he thought.

“Whatever’s out there, I can handle it.” Roy told him, and Sam was reminded just how much he hated the older man. 

“If you shoot this thing, you’re just going to make it mad.” Sam replied, his eyes skimming the trees. “We have to leave, now.” Roy just looked at Sam like he was an idiot. 

“One, you’re talking nonsense. Two, you’re in no position to be giving anybody orders.” Roy snapped.

“Relax.” Dean; always the voice of reason. 

“We never should have let you come out here in the first place.” Roy shot back, completely ignoring Dean.

“I’m trying to protect you.” Sam said in a last ditch effort to make Roy see reason.

“You protect me?” Roy asked, as if it was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard. “I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you goodnight!” Sam tried not to punch him for that one, and he could see the slight falter in Dean’s mask at the words. Roy was in his face, and Sam leaned down so he could get in the other hunter’s face. 

“It’s a damn near perfect hunter. It’s smarter than you. And it’s going to hunt you down, and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here.” Sam said with a dark smirk on his face. Roy was still looking at him like he was an idiot, and now like he was completely insane too.

“Ha!” Roy shouted a laugh and shoved Sam. Sam noticed Dean tense up behind Roy, but ignored him. “You know you’re crazy right?” Roy asked with a gleefully sick smirk on his old face. 

“Yeah? You ever hunt-“ Sam was cut off as Dean shoved himself in between them, and shoved Sam back away from Roy.

“Chill out.” Dean ordered. Sam turned and stepped back. Listening to an order from his younger brother wasn’t something he wanted to make a habit out of but he knew where Dean was coming from. He’d been getting dangerously angry with Roy. Dean had a halting hand on his chest, and was glaring at him, but Sam just glared right back.

“Stop it, everybody just stop.” Hailey snapped, finally stepping in. About freaking time. Sam thought angrily. “Look, Tommy might still be alive. And I’m not leaving here without him.” Hailey reminded them, like the stubborn look in her eyes hadn’t been enough. 

Dean didn’t say anything; he just exchanged a glance with Sam, then replied to Hailey.

“It’s getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We’ll never beat it- not in the dark. We need to settle in and protect ourselves.” Dean turned away from Sam and walked back into the center of the camp.

“How?” Hailey asked. Dean didn’t respond. He just looked around the camp, eventually stopping and picking up a large stick. Sam realized what he was doing before he did it. 

“Set up protective symbols. The thing can’t cross them.” Dean replied. Now, Sam noted with some apprehension, the others were looking at Dean like he was crazy.

“Look kid, that’s all well and good, but I personally think we should get the guns and set up defenses that’ll actually work.” Roy replied sarcastically. Sam saw Dean’s eyes flash. He really hated being called a kid. Sam couldn’t blame him, when he himself had finally shrugged off the kid label he’d been ready to celebrate for weeks on end. Dean, however, probably wouldn’t be rid of it until he was 30. He was the baby of the family, and there was no way Bobby would stop calling Dean kid when they went to see him, and Sam had decided that they would be seeing him. It didn’t matter that their Dad had decided never to see Bobby again; Sam figured he owed Bobby for trying to look after Dean. Trying being the key word. 

“Yeah well you do what you want, but when it’s your ass about to be eaten, I’m not going to be the one saving you.” Dean replied in a voice that made it sound like he was telling the complete truth. Sam marveled at Dean’s ability to not be riled by the annoying older hunter. Sam had never been able to back down from a challenge. Especially not from people older than him. Especially from people like their father. 

Roy just rolled his eyes.

“Whatever floats your boat kid.” Dean ignored him and continued drawing symbols in the dirt. “What exactly are you protecting us from anyway?” Roy asked.

“Wendigo.” Dean replied, not rising to Roy’s tone. 

“Right, a Wendigo. What else?” 

SPN

That night Sam was sitting away from the fire and the others. Dean walked over and sat down next to him.

“You want to tell me what’s going on in that freaky head of yours?” He asked, facing Sam. Sam couldn’t see his little brother’s face in with the fire being behind him, but he didn’t have to see it to sense the concern practically flying off of him in waves.

“Dean…”

“No, you’re not fine. You’re like a powder keg man, it’s not like you. I’m supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?” If Sam hadn’t been so messed up he would have cracked a smile. At least Dean’s urge to throw himself in the line of fire hadn’t changed.

“Dad’s not here. I mean, we know that much for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?” Sam felt Dean tense beside him. He felt bad about laying this on his brother. Dean was taking their Dad’s purposeful distance a lot harder than Sam was, understandably. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Dean sounded off, like he was trying to keep his voice from cracking. Sam kept his back turned, he didn’t really want to console his brother at the moment. He wanted to wallow in his own self-pity. And turning and seeing the hurt on Dean’s face wouldn’t allow that to happen.

“To tell you the truth,” Dean continued. “I don’t think Dad’s ever been to Lost Creek. I think it’s like what he did to me over the last few years. I think he sent us here because he couldn’t come, or didn’t want to.” Now Dean’s voice cracked. Sam finally turned to face his little brother. Dean was looking at the ground, his hands fiddling in his lap. Sam felt a pang of guilt. This whole purposeful distance thing really was hitting Dean where it hurt. Sam wanted to put his arm around Dean. He wanted to reassure his brother that they would find their father; that it would all be all right. That Sam would make it all right. However he knew how Dean reacted to public displays of affection, and that he would most likely brush Sam off and tell him to stop being a girl, but Sam had to try. He put his arm around Dean, and shockingly Dean leaned into him. He squeezed Dean’s arm.

“It's gonna be alright Dean. We’ll find him.” Sam held his brother tightly. He didn’t remember Dean being one for physical contact, but he guessed three years with little to none would probably turn him around on the subject. Sam decided Dean needed the physical contact whenever he could provide it. A hand on the shoulder, a hug, something, anything, to make up for three years of nobody caring enough to try. Save Bobby, and maybe occasionally their father, though Sam doubted it. 

He held Dean for a little while longer before talking again.

“We should just leave now. He’s not here. Let’s get these people back to town and hit the road. Go find Dad. I mean, why are we even still here?” Dean sat back up, and stared at Sam for a second. Then he stood up and sat across from Sam. He sat there, green eyes set. Sam could see his face now, half of it at least. There were no tear tracks now, just solid stoic green eyes. Eyes that told Sam exactly what he thought of that idea. He pulled out their Dad’s journal and put a hand on it. 

“This is why. This book. This is Dad’s single most valuable possession. Everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he’s passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business.” Sam looked into his brothers earnest eyes and was two seconds away from telling him exactly where Dad could shove his family business. Instead he just scrubbed his hands over his face and said, “That makes no sense. Why- why doesn’t he just call us? Why doesn’t he tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?” Sam could tell by Dean’s bowed head that he’d hit a soft spot. He honestly hadn’t meant to hurt his brother, but the idea was just ridiculous. Taking up the family business? Not to mention the no verbal communication thing. That still made Sam want to throw more than a few punches in John Winchester's direction. 

“I don’t know.” Dean replied. “But the way I see it, Dad’s given us a job, and I intend to do it.” Of course he did. Sam held his tongue. Dean would always do the job. Even after three years of being abandoned by the people he called family he’d still do the goddamn job. 

“Dean, no. I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica’s killer. It’s the only thing I can think about.” Sam saw the hurt on Dean’s face when he said the words. He hadn’t meant it that way. His baby brother was always on his mind, but at the moment those two things were taking full control of his thoughts. 

“Ok. All right.” Dean nodded. Sam tried not to feel too guilty about the look in Dean’s weary green eyes. 

“Sam we’ll find them. I promise.” And suddenly it was wrong. Sam should have been the one promising Dean. He was the older brother. He was the one who was supposed to support and reassure Dean, but instead it was the other way around. 

“Listen to me, you’ve got to prepare yourself. Because this search could take a while. And all that anger, you can’t keep it burning over the long haul. It’s gonna kill you. You gotta have patience man.” Dean continued, and Sam saw it. The fear in Dean’s eyes. He was scared of losing his big brother. And that was when Sam knew he couldn’t take the reverse therapy anymore. He had to help Dean like he was supposed to. He nodded and put his hands on Dean’s shoulders.

“I got it Dean. I won’t let it get me. And don’t worry about anything all right? I’m going to be fine, and so are you. I won’t let anything happen to you, ok? I promise.” Dean nodded, a smile starting to spread across his face. 

“Ok Sam, ok.” Sam smiled back at him. Suddenly they heard shouting. 

“HELP!” 

Sam got up first that time, flash light out immediately, scanning the trees. He’d just promised Dean everything would be fine, that they’d both be fine. There was no way he was going back on that promise. They stood in the center of the camp, Roy with his gun cocked. Sam held a flashlight and Dean just stared into the woods. The three of them were on the perimeter, with Hailey and Ben in the middle. Sam could say a lot of pretty nasty things about Roy, and they’d all be true, but one thing he couldn’t say was that the guy was a coward. He’d stayed and was protecting Hailey and Ben. Whether he’d do that if he believed in what was actually out there hunting them remained unknown.

“It’s trying to draw us out. Just stay put. Stay cool.” Dean’s voice was as soothing as he could manage, and Sam thought that was pretty damn soothing, especially for Dean. 

“Inside the magic circle?” Roy asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Neither of the brothers responded. The wendigo was screaming again. Shouting for help. No one moved. Not even Roy. Sam gave him credit for that.

Suddenly the screams for help were drowned out by the vicious growling, and eventually help became just screams of pain and horror. Then only growling. 

“Okay, that’s no grizzly.” Roy mused, his gun trained on the trees where they’d heard the growling. 

Sam noticed Hailey grab Ben’s hand and lead him over to a log to sit down.

“It’s okay. We’ll be alright. I promise.” Sam thought it was funny how he’d said those same words to Dean only moments ago. He wondered how much Dean actually believed him. Given the circumstances, probably not much.

Suddenly the growling grew louder, and the bushes rustled noisily. Something was running through them. Roy fired his gun. The rustling stopped. It started again, and Roy shot again. There was a yowl like whatever he’d been firing at had been hit and was in pain. 

“I hit it!” Roy shouted. Sam and Dean knew better.

“Roy no! Roy!” Dean shouted. Roy didn’t turn around. Dean turned to Hailey and Ben and ordered them to stay where they were, then he took off after Roy. Sam had half a mind to tell Dean exactly how stupid that little act of heroism was, but given the fact that he’d taken off after Dean without a second thought, he decided to keep his mouth shut. 

They were a little ways from camp when Dean shouted out for Roy again.

“ROY!” 

“It’s over here! It’s-” Roy was cut off suddenly, and Dean darted towards where they heard the voice coming from. Sam shined the flashlight for Dean, but there was nothing to see; no one to see. Roy was gone. 

“Damn idiot got himself killed didn’t he?” Dean asked once they’d searched a bit longer. Sam nodded, his breathing fast.

“Most likely. Come on, let’s get back to camp.” Sam lead the way back to camp, pausing every few minutes to make sure Dean was still behind him. When they got back to camp Hailey stood up immediately.

“Where’s Roy?” She asked, her voice wavering. Sam looked to Dean and saw the guilt in his eyes. It was misplaced, Sam knew, but he also knew Dean. Maybe not as well as he’d like to, but he knew that Dean took on guilt he didn’t need. Sam was pretty sure that much would never change. 

“Roy’s dead.” Dean said, his voice solid. Hailey put her hand over her mouth and sat next to her brother, who looked like he was about to pass out. 

“Look, nobody leave the circle. It’s already fed tonight, but that doesn’t mean it won’t try again. Stay inside and try to get some sleep.” Sam told her. He already knew how much sleep he was getting tonight, and that was absolutely none. He was going to try and get Dean to catch a couple hours though. 

The way they were set up had Hailey and Ben lying in the center of the camp on top of the most intact sleeping bags they could find, and Sam and Dean sitting next to each other, backs against a tree, eyes open and on the forest. Sam could see Dean’s eyes drooping. His body was definitely lacking in the sleep department. 

“Dean, try and get some sleep ok? I’ll watch for the wendigo.” Dean shook his head.

“Can’t do that Sam; we’ve got to protect them.” And by that Dean meant he needed to protect them. He was still feeling guilty about Roy Sam decided. 

“Dean, I can watch the forest, I’ve got the average amount of sleep under my belt. Plus we’ve got protection all around this place, it isn’t getting in. Come on Dean, you’re about to pass out man. Just get some sleep.” 

“What makes you the boss of me?” Dean asked, his eyes already drooping groggily. 

“I’m older, which means you do what I say. Now go to sleep Dean.” Sam knew he’d won. The big brother/little brother card always won the other sibling over. Sam was sorry to say the little brother card had ended up being put to use more often when they were younger, and he’d fallen for it every time. 

“Fine, bitch.” 

“Jerk.” Sam grinned, knowing he’d won. Dean lay back against the tree and was out like a light. His head slid until it was rested against Sam’s arm. Sam moved and put his arm around his baby brother, a protective gesture Sam realized he missed. Sam looked down at his sleeping brother. Dean always looked younger when he slept. The worry lines were expunged from his face, and the constant tension melted from his body. He was limp at Sam’s side, his breathing deep and regular. Sam smiled; Dean deserved this kind of peace more often. 

SPN

Sam, true to his word, stayed up the whole night with Dean tucked under his arm. He caught himself drifting several times right before the sun came up. When it finally did Sam felt Dean shift under his arm. Dean blinked a few times and Sam nearly laughed at the sight of the drowsy green eyes. When Dean finally turned to look at Sam he adopted a horrified expression. For a moment Sam was afraid there was something behind him, but then Dean shot out of the embrace and Sam laughed. 

“Jeez Samantha, you’re such a girl.” He muttered, his cheeks bright red, but Sam didn’t care. He just chuckled some more and waited for the Collins siblings to wake up. 

It wasn’t until 8 that morning that the subject of the wendigo was broached again. 

“I don’t… I mean these types of things, they aren’t supposed to be real.” Hailey said suddenly. Sam looked up to see Dean examining a tree trunk.

“I wish I could tell you different.” He said, kneeling in front of her. Sam almost grinned; Dean was trying to see if he could get the girl on this one.  

“So how do we know that it’s not watching us?”

“We don’t.” Dean replied. Sam grimaced. They didn’t know whether or not the wendigo was stalking them, but Sam was willing to bet a fair amount of money that it was.

“But we’re safe for now.” Dean continued; always the charmer. Sam tuned out the rest of their conversation and went to walk around the perimeter. Just because they were safe didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous. He glared around the trees, there didn’t seem to be anything out there, that didn’t mean there wasn’t. He finished his survey of the trees and walked back to Dean and the Collins’s

“Hey, so we’ve got a half a chance in the daylight. And I for one, want to kill this evil son of a bitch.” Sam announced. He’d long since decided that Dean had been right the night before, they had a job to do, and it had two parts. Part one: save the innocents. Part 2: kill the evil son of bitch, and Sam was more than ready to complete part 2, since he’d failed pretty miserably at part 1. 

Dean flashed him a wide grin that did, for once, meet his eyes.

“Well hell you know I’m in.”

SPN

After teaching Hailey and Ben all they could about wendigos in 20 minutes while Dean made the molotov they started tracking the claw marks in the trees. Sam let Dean take the lead so he could watch him. Dean’s skills had improved in the past 3 years. Even when the claw marks were virtually non-existent Dean still tracked them, and made it seem incredibly easy. Sam knew from experience however, that that was not the case. 

Sam decided Dean liked being in control. He’d sure had plenty of practice after being left alone for three years. Sam felt the familiar pang of regret and guilt twist his stomach. The whole hindsight thing was a bitch.

They’d been walking for a good 20 minutes when Sam finally noticed something.

“Dean.” 

“What is it?” Sam looked around at the trees, all of which had claw marks. Dean’s eyes scanned the trees and Sam knew he was thinking the same thing. At first the claw marks had been slim to none. They’d steadily grown in number, and now there was a claw mark on every tree. Sam didn’t need to tell Dean this, but he did anyway. Dean didn’t reply, and Sam knew it was because they were thinking the same thing; it was a trap. 

Suddenly there was growling, and lots of it. The bushes thrashed, and Sam saw a humanoid form dart from behind a tree. Dean had the Molotov at the ready, and was turning around and around looking for the wendigo. Sam whipped around when he heard Hailey scream. He turned around just in time to see Roy’s body fall from a tree, and Hailey fall over in shock. Sam immediately went to her and asked if she was all right. Dean went to the body.

“His neck’s broken.” Dean announced, head snapping up and looking around once more. The growling started up again. Sam grabbed Dean’s sleeve and pulled him along.

“Go! Run! Go, go, go!” Sam shouted. Sam made sure Dean was running ahead before taking off after him. Dean ran out ahead with Hailey, but Ben’s foot caught a root and he crashed to the ground. Sam turned back and pulled Ben to his feet.

“Come on. I got you. I got you.” Sam repeated the mantra, trying to sound a thousand times calmer than he felt. 

“Hailey!” Ben shouted and took off again. Sam flew after him after realizing he could no longer see Dean. Sam heard Hailey scream and willed his legs to go faster. When they finally got to the spot they’d heard the scream come from Hailey and Dean were gone. Just gone. Sam looked to the ground and what he saw made him want to vomit. The bottle that had been used to create the Molotov was broken in half, and hadn’t been lit. Sam turned, staring desperately into the trees. This couldn’t be happening. His baby brother was gone, taken by a wendigo. He was going to be strung up in some cave and eaten alive. Sam’s stomach reacted violently to the thought, and it took all his willpower not to vomit. This couldn’t happen. His second hunt back in the game with Dean and Sam loses him. He lost his little brother.

“DEAN!” 

SPN

They stayed in the clearing for a little while. Sam was too wrecked to think correctly. The only thing he could think about was getting his baby brother back. Having him in front of him, solid and real and alive. 

“If it keeps its victims alive why would it kill Roy?” Ben asked. Sam had to admit, this kid was getting on his nerves. He was about ten seconds from a complete mental breakdown and the kid was asking about the wendigo’s lovers spat with Roy.

“Honestly? I think because Roy shot at it. He pissed it off.” Sam wasn’t really paying attention to Ben. He knew he should be, he still had one civilian to look after, but his mind was wandering to what the wendigo could possibly be doing to Dean. It made him shudder.

“They went this way.” Ben called from where he was crouched a few feet away. Sam jogged over and kneeled down along with him. There, forming a rugged path were brightly colored peanut m&m’s. Sam grinned; his little brother was a freaking genius.

“It’s better than bread crumbs.” Sam laughed at his brother’s genius and Ben grinned back. They stood up and followed the bright trail of chocolate. Sam was overjoyed at Dean’s genius and quick thinking, but part of him was angry, at himself. He should have just found Dean. He shouldn’t have needed help from his kidnapped brother to find him. No, Sam should have been able to track and find Dean on his own, but he hadn’t, and he wasn’t happy about that. 

They followed the trail for 15 minutes before Sam saw where it led; an abandoned mine. He remembered reading about Black Water Ridge’s various abandoned mines. It’s no tourist spot, that’s for sure. He remembered his words from earlier and swallowed hard. Dean was in there. Sam walked right into the mine, he didn’t even bother to warn Ben to stay out; he knew it was pointless.

They’d walked down the mine shaft until the light was a fading dot in the background when they heard it. The wendigo was walking toward them. Sam pulled Ben up against the wall, and covered his mouth when Ben started to panic.

“Shh.” He lulled, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Sam saw it walk by the wall they were hiding behind, and away from them. As soon as it was out of sight Sam relaxed, if only a little. 

They continued along the mine until they reached an area where the floor was rotting away and the boards were barely staying up. Sam realized too late that it was going to break on them. They crashed through the floor and into another room before Sam could do anything. They both groaned when they hit the ground, and Sam allowed himself to wallow in the pain that was seemingly everywhere for just a couple of seconds before Ben screamed and shot back. Sam was at his side in an instant, and saw immediately what had freaked him out. Skulls, dozens of human skulls were scattered around the cave.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay.” Sam soothed. Then he turned and caught sight of Dean and Hailey, and it was most definitely not okay. Sam didn’t think he’d seen anything more horrible than what he saw when he looked at Dean in that moment. They were both unconscious and hanging, suspended by their wrists. Hailey looked relatively okay, considering she was hanging with her feet just barely brushing the rocks below her. Dean however, looked awful. Sam couldn’t see too well but it seemed like Dean was bleeding, and he was completely suspended, nothing was under his feet. The only thing keeping up his muscular frame were his thin wrists. Sam scrambled up and headed to his brother. He grabbed Dean’s sides and shook him.

“Dean? Wake up.” Dean was unresponsive. “Dean!” Sam shook him harder. Dean’s eyes shot open and he immediately grunted in pain. He blinked a few times and Sam could easily see the pain shoot through them. Sam nearly cried in relief.

“Hey, you okay little brother?” Sam asked, a faint smile on his face.

“Ugh, yeah.” Dean replied, but the pain in his voice betrayed him, as did his appearance. He looked like shit. His face was covered in dirt and blood and sweat, his muscles were tense, and his green eyes were dulled with pain. Sam ignored Hailey and Ben while he got Dean down. He cut away the ropes that kept him suspended and immediately Dean slumped into him. Sam put one arm around Dean’s side and kept the other firmly on Dean’s forearm. Dean was leaning heavily on him, but it felt like he was trying not to. 

“Gotcha, I gotcha little brother.” Sam spoke gently as he led Dean away from the hanging spot down to where a couple of different camping packs were placed. He laid Dean down gently, trying to get his brother to sit. He managed to get Dean to sit down, but not without several dozen grunts and groans from Dean. 

“You sure you’re all right?” Sam asked, though he already knew both Dean’s answer and the truth, and that they would both be complete opposites.

“Yeah, yeah, where is it?” Dean asked breathlessly. Sam sighed; it was always about the hunt. Dean could never take 5 seconds to worry about his own health. 

“It’s gone for now.” Sam replied, his disapproving tone was solely for Dean’s inability to look after himself, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t how Dean saw it. Dean’s face was still contorted in pain, and his eyes were squeezed shut. The 18 year old had a higher pain tolerance than most, and the fact that he was physically grimacing told Sam he had to be in pretty bad shape. Sam grabbed Dean’s hands and checked his wrists. They had some heavy duty rope burn and were both bleeding pretty badly. Sam skimmed his thumb over Dean’s left wrist and Dean hissed in pain.

“Sorry man, but I gotta check you over.” He quickly skimmed over Dean, noticing with some worry the small cut on his forehead that was bleeding profusely and it had an accompanying bump. The wendigo had knocked Dean out and his forehead wasn’t happy about it. He quickly checked over his little brother and noticed that Dean’s right arm was strained. He’d probably pulled something. Sam frowned with worry and went back to analyzing Dean’s wrists. Dean had been hanging there for probably around half an hour, maybe longer. Sam swore under his breath. He was the older brother; he was supposed to be looking after Dean. He should have gotten there quicker, shouldn’t have let Dean get taken in the first place. 

Dean seemed to sense what Sam was thinking because he gently pulled his wrists from Sam’s grip and said, “It’s okay Sammy. I’m fine. It wasn’t your fault.” Sam didn’t reply. He turned around when he heard a choked sob. It was Hailey; she’d found Tommy.

Sam looked back to Dean, unsure whether or not he should go help her. 

“Go.” Dean ordered, so Sam did. He got up and walked over to Hailey who was crying her younger brother’s name and reaching for him. Sam felt for her, he knew how it felt to see your little brother strung up in here; it didn’t feel good. Especially since Tommy had been there for days and was most likely dead. 

“Tommy?” She asked quietly. Suddenly Tommy’s head shot up and he his eyes opened wide, looking around wildly. He was alive. Hailey screamed and took a few steps back. Sam spared a glance at Dean, who’d jumped when Hailey had screamed. After making sure Dean was all right Sam turned back to Tommy. Sam cut him down and he and Hailey caught him. Tommy was limp between them, and barely comprehensive. 

“Watch your legs.” Sam advised, but Tommy paid no attention to him. His sole focus was on his siblings.

“Hailey. Ben.” There was nothing but relief in Tommy’s barely audible voice, and a small smile split his grime covered face. Sam almost smiled along with him. He’d decided long ago not to mention the blood. 

“Check it out.” Dean muttered from across the room. Sam stared him down, and noticed with some alarm that Dean was standing but swaying. He shouldn’t have been standing on his own, but since Sam couldn’t just drop Tommy he had to let that one go. Sam’s eyes instead darted to the flare guns in Dean’s hands and he chuckled once more at Dean’s genius.

“Those’ll work.” 

SPN

As they walked down the tunnel, Hailey and Sam holding Tommy up with Ben next to Hailey and Dean out front, Sam noticed Dean kept grabbing his right arm. His gun arm. Sam decided not to mention it until later. They heard the growling again and Sam gave up his position to Ben, and instead joined Dean, gun at the ready, in the front. 

“Looks like someone’s home for supper.” Dean mused aloud. 

“We’ll never out run it.” Hailey piped up from behind. Sam’s face adopted a no shit expression, and he noticed Dean turn around and look at her. She couldn’t have possibly been more obvious.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Dean asked. Oh Sam knew what he was thinking; he just thought it was stupid. 

He didn’t say that though, couldn’t, because they were out of options.

“Yeah, I think so.” He replied instead.

“All right, listen to me, stay with Sam, he’s going to get you out of here.” Dean said, turning around to face the siblings behind them. 

“What are you going to do?” Hailey asked and Sam cringed. Dean just winked.

“It’s chow time you freakin’ bastard!” Dean shouted as he headed down the tunnel opposite the one Sam was going to take. 

“Yeah, that’s right! Bring it on baby! I taste good!” 

Sam really couldn’t decide whether or not smacking his brother upside the head for this stupid but brilliant plan was a good idea. 

Instead he just led the siblings through the tunnels, his gun ready in case the wendigo stopped by. He had long since stopped hearing Dean’s voice, and was desperately worried. 

When the growling became too loud for Sam’s liking he sent the siblings down one of the tunnels with light at the end, and hid behind a wall, waiting for the wendigo.

“Come on, come on.” Sam muttered. The phrase be careful what you wish for passed through his head several times when he realized the growling had stopped but that he could hear breathing. He turned to the left warily and immediately saw the wendigo in all its beastly glory. It was tall thin and bony. It’s shriveled, too loose skin was an ugly gray color. It’s hair was nothing more than a few wisps of gray-white nothing on top of its wrinkled head. The wendigo was thinner than bone and was just a few hairs short of being a walking skeleton; it was already a walking corpse.

Sam fired off a shot, and missed by a few inches. Not shocking, he’d never been the marksmen Dean was. In the end it didn’t matter though, because he’d already taken off after the siblings as fast as he could go.

“HURRY, HURRY, HURRY, GO!” He shouted as he ran after them. They started going as fast as they could down the tunnel, which wasn’t very fast considering Tommy still needed help. The wendigo was merely jogging towards them, and Sam knew it was baiting them. It could have been on top of them in seconds, and he wouldn’t have been able to do much, if anything, to stop it. 

Apparently it liked playing with its food. 

They ran as fast and as far as they could, turning at every opportunity in random directions. But despite his best efforts eventually Sam hit a dead end.

“Get behind me.” He ordered, and shoved himself in front of the three siblings. He spread his arms out in front of them as the wendigo approached. If he was going down, he was going down with a fight all the while doing the best he could to save those people.

The wendigo approached, its sunken eyes fixed on Sam, and roared. 

“HEY!” It was Dean. Goddammit it was Dean. 

The wendigo turned sharply, but before he could even turn all the way Dean had fired the flare gun, hitting it right in the stomach. The wendigo caught fire immediately, it's shriveled skin bursting into flame. It screamed and roared as it burned, until finally all that was left was ash.

“Not bad huh?” Dean asked, but his expression was off. It wasn’t a cocky satisfied smirk, no; instead there was only a stoic expression with hard green eyes that glared through the darkness. It was the expression he’d worn when killing the wendigo. The expression only lasted for a moment however, before Dean’s mouth split into a grin. Sam grinned back and even laughed a little. 

He noticed Dean swaying a moment before his brother took a header. Sam rushed to catch him and scanned him worriedly. His head wound was still bleeding, and he might have had a concussion. Sam chastised himself for not looking sooner.

“You alright Dean?” He asked. Thankfully the Collins siblings were having a happy reunion finally on their own on the other side of the cave so he could talk to Dean without being overheard.

“’M fine Sammy.” Sam wasn’t even a little convinced. He gripped his brother’s waist once more, and slung Dean’s arm over his shoulder. Dean had been around 5’6” when Sam had left, and he’d grown plenty since then, probably brushing 6 foot with still a few inches to go, but he was still shorter than Sam by a lot so Sam had to lean down to sling Dean’s arm over his shoulder. He held Dean upright and looked back to the family in the corner who were content with just enjoying each other’s company. Sam knew though that they needed paramedics ASAP. Dean was still woozy, Hailey needed her wrists checked out, and Tommy looked about ready to collapse. Whether it was from blood loss, dehydration, malnutrition, or just plain exhaustion, Sam wasn’t sure, but he knew whatever it was, it needed a doctor. 

“Ben, go back to the cave where we found Dean, Hailey, and Tommy and grab our packs. Roy had a satellite phone. Bring it here.” Sam ordered, shifting to better carry Dean, who was quickly becoming more and more compliant in Sam’s arms. Ben did as he was told and came back five minutes later with the phone. Sam grabbed it and they hauled ass out of the mine. When they were out Sam dialed 911.

“911 what is your emergency?” The woman on the line asked. 

“I’m in the woods with some friends, and there’s been a bear attack. My friend’s really badly hurt, and my brother’s not doing too well either. We can get out on our own, but we need medical attention sent to the Lost Creek national park building.” 

“All right sir, we’ll be there as soon as we can, call again if you need more help.” Sam hung up and began the trek back to civilization.

SPN

When they finally got back to civilization it was almost midnight. The walk back had taken twice as long as the walk coming had because Tommy and Dean were nearly incapacitated, Tommy especially. 

When they did get back, Dean let the medics look over him, but didn’t show them his wrists. Most likely because being bound from the ceiling didn’t exactly fit with the whole bear attack excuse. He’d even asked Hailey if she’d wait until she was at the hospital and they were gone. She’d agreed. Hers weren’t that bad anyway. 

They said goodbye quickly, Dean received a kiss on the cheek from Hailey, and then they sat on the hood of the Impala watching the ambulance pull away. The medics had decided that Dean wasn’t concussed, he was just exhausted and feeling the effects of blood loss. They’d stitched him up and told Sam with plenty of rest he’d be fine. Dean was getting plenty of rest all right. In fact, Sam was going to make sure his brother didn’t see the outside of a motel room for at least two days.

The first thing Dean said after the ambulance pulled away was, “Man I hate camping.” Sam nodded absent mindedly.

“Me too.”

“Sam, you know we’re going to find Dad right?” That was Dean again, trying to reassure him. The sense of wrong that came with that for Sam was almost overwhelming. He should be the one saying this. Not Dean. 

“Yeah I know.” He replied. “But in the meantime, I’m driving.” Sam said with a smirk. It took Dean all of two seconds to toss Sam the keys and head for the passenger side door. Sam’s smile faded. Dean being compliant meant one thing: Dean was hurt, and at this point, it was probably both emotional and physical. 

SPN

When they finally got back to the motel room all Dean wanted to do was lie on a bed, and pass out; Sam didn’t let him. Instead he sat Dean down on the bed furthest from the door and said, “Wrists.”

“Sam.” Dean whined.

“You didn’t let the medics look at them, so let me see.” Dean rolled his eyes but shrugged off his jacket and gave up his wrists anyway. They looked worse in the light. Mangled and bloody, the shape of the rope still firmly etched into the skin. Sam sighed, why was it always his baby brother that got hurt? Sam opened the med kit and pulled out the alcohol and bandages. He put a bowl under Dean’s hands and poured the alcohol on his wrists. Dean squeezed his eyes shut and hissed in pain.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. It’s all right Dean. It’s okay.” He gently dried Dean’s wrists and wrapped them carefully and precisely. When he was finished he examined the bandages once more before nodding. 

“All right Dean, get some sleep.” Dean nodded and without another word he was out like a light. Sam was about to get into bed when he noticed Dean shivering. 

“Jerk forgot the covers again.” Sam sighed. It happened more often than not, Sam had noticed, Dean went to bed bone tired and passed out his bed without taking anything off, and without covers. Sam walked to the edge of Dean’s bed and pulled off his little brother’s shoes. He then threw the covers over Dean and tucked them carefully around Dean’s shoulders. Only then did he go to bed, jacket and shoes off, he decided to take a page out of Dean’s book and not change into pajamas. 

Sam rubbed his eyes desperately. Images kept flashing through his mind. Jess on the ceiling, and Dean hanging unconscious in the mine were really the stars of the show. However memories from old hunts resurfaced every now and then to add to the torture. Sam opened his eyes with yet another sigh. He really wanted to sleep, but he kept thinking about Dean hanging in the mine. It had been dark and Dean had been unconscious, and for a moment it had looked like Dean was dead. Stone cold dead; wendigo food. Sam shuddered at the thought. Dean should never have been in that position, ever. He shouldn’t have been when he was younger, and shouldn’t have been then. Dean was still a kid in Sam’s eyes, and kids shouldn’t be hanging from the ceilings of abandoned mine shaft’s waiting to be eaten alive. 

Sam turned to look at his sleeping brother. Dean always looked more innocent when he slept, or when he was unconscious. The worry lines thinned out, and his slim shorter (than Sam at least) frame made him look much younger than his 18 years. Sam once again cursed John Winchester for bringing them into the life. He should have moved on and raised them as normally as he could, not brought them into this world of constant death and pain. He shouldn’t have brought a 4 year old and a 6 month old into this life. Dean should be excited about his first year at whatever college he’d decided to go to, and Sam should be working on law school, and their father should be at a house, in one state, worrying about his cholesterol and enjoying a kid free house for the first time in 22 years, but no. Instead Dean was lying passed out in a motel bed because he couldn’t get any kind of regular sleep and he was exhausted from being kidnapped, hung from a ceiling, and almost eaten alive. And it was one of his better days. Sam was worrying about himself and his brother, after having just watched his girlfriend burn on the ceiling like his mother did when he was 4. And their Dad was God knew where doing God knew what for God knew what reason; all Sam knew was that he’d been purposely ignoring his sons. One of which had just turned 18. 

Sam gripped the pillow tightly. When they found their father he was going to be very lucky if he survived the encounter without a few dozen broken bones, and infinite deafness due to the screaming match Sam was definitely going to start.

Sam looked once more at Dean and promised himself and the rest of the world that he would protect his baby brother from everything the world had to offer, even their father.


End file.
